Nehemiah 12

1 And these [are] the priests and the Levites who came up with Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua; Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra,

This is a list of the priests and Levites who came back with Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua, the high priest: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra,

2 Amariah, Malluch, Hattush,

Amariah, Malluch, Hattush,

3 Shechaniah, Rehum, Meremoth,

Shecaniah, Rehum, Meremoth,

4 Iddo, Ginnethoi, Abijah,

Iddo, Ginnethon, Abijah,

5 Miamin, Maadiah, Bilgah,

Miniamin, Maadiah, Bilgah,

6 Shemaiah, and Joiarib, Jedaiah,

Shemaiah, Joiarib, Jedaiah,

7 Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, Jedaiah; these [are] heads of the priests and of their brethren in the days of Jeshua.

Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, and Jedaiah. These were the leaders of the priests and their relatives in Jeshua's time.

8 And the Levites [are] Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, Mattaniah, he [is] over the thanksgiving, and his brethren,

The Levites were Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah, who with his fellow Levites was in charge of the songs of praise.

9 and Bakbukiah and Unni, their brethren, [are] over-against them in charges.

Two other Levites, Bakbukiah and Unni, stood opposite them in the service.

10 And Jeshua hath begotten Joiakim, and Joiakim hath begotten Eliashib, and Eliashib hath begotten Joiada,

Jeshua the high priest was the father of Joiakim, who was the father of Eliashib, who was the father of Joiada,

11 and Joiada hath begotten Jonathan, and Jonathan hath begotten Jaddua.

who was the father of Jonathan, who was the father of Jaddua.

12 And in the days of Joiakim have been priests, heads of the fathers; of Seraiah, Meraiah; of Jeremiah, Hananiah;

In Joiakim's time, these were the family leaders of the priests: of the family of Seraiah, Meraiah; of Jeremiah, Hananiah;

13 of Ezra, Meshullam; of Amariah, Jehohanan;

of Ezra, Meshullam; of Amariah, Jehohanan;

14 of Melicu, Jonathan; of Shebaniah, Joseph;

of Malluchi, Jonathan; of Shebaniah, Joseph;

15 of Harim, Adna; of Meraioth, Helkai;

of Harim, Adna; of Meraioth, Helkai;

16 of Iddo, Zechariah; of Ginnethon, Meshullam;

of Iddo, Zechariah; of Ginnethon, Meshullam;

17 of Abijah, Zichri; of Miniamin; of Moadiah, Piltai;

of Abijah, Zichri; of Miniamin and of Moadiah, Piltai;

18 of Bilgah, Shammua; of Shemaiah, Jehonathan;

of Bilgah, Shammua; of Shemaiah, Jehonathan;

19 and of Joiarib, Mattenai; of Jedaiah, Uzzi;

of Joiarib, Mattenai; of Jedaiah, Uzzi;

20 of Sallai, Kallai; of Amok, Eber;

of Sallai, Kallai; of Amok, Eber;

21 of Hilkiah, Hashabiah; of Jedaiah, Nethaneel.

of Hilkiah, Hashabiah; of Jedaiah, Nethanel.

22 The Levites, in the days of Eliashib, Joiada, and Johanan, and Jaddua, are written, heads of fathers, and of the priests, in the kingdom of Darius the Persian.

The family leaders of the Levites in the time of Eliashib, Joiada, Johanan, and Jaddua, in addition to those of the priests, were recorded during the reign of Darius the Persian.

23 Sons of Levi, heads of the fathers, are written on the book of the Chronicles even till the days of Johanan son of Eliashib;

As for the genealogy of the sons of Levi, the family leaders up to the time of Johanan, son of Eliashib, were listed in the Book of the Records.

24 and heads of the Levites: Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua son of Kadmiel, and their brethren, [are] over-against them, to give praise, to give thanks, by command of David the man of God, charge over-against charge.

The Levite leaders were Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua, son of Kadmiel, together with their fellow Levites, who stood opposite them, each section giving praise and thanks and responding to one another, as arranged by David, the man of God.

25 Mattaniah, and Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, Akkub, [are] gatekeepers, keeping charge in the gatherings of the gates.

They were joined by Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, and Obadiah. Meshullam, Talmon, and Akkub were gatekeepers who guarded the storehouses at the gates.

26 These [are] in the days of Joiakim son of Jeshua, son of Jozadak, and in the days of Nehemiah the governor, and of Ezra the priest, the scribe.

They served in the time of Joiakim, son of Jeshua, son of Jozadak, and in the time of Nehemiah the governor and Ezra the priest and scribe.

27 And at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought the Levites out of all their places, to bring them in to Jerusalem, to make the dedication even with gladness, and with thanksgivings, and with singing, [with] cymbals, psalteries, and with harps;

In order to dedicate the wall of Jerusalem, the Levites were called from everywhere they were living to come to Jerusalem and celebrate with joy the dedication with songs of praise and thanks, accompanied by cymbals, harps, and lyres.

28 and sons of the singers are gathered together even from the circuit round about Jerusalem, and from the villages of Netophathi,

The singers were also brought in from the area around Jerusalem and from the villages of the Netophathites,

29 and from the house of Gilgal, and from fields of Geba and Azmaveth, for villages have the singers built for themselves round about Jerusalem;

as well as from Beth-gilgal and from the area of Geba and Azmaveth, for the singers had built villages for themselves all around Jerusalem.

30 and the priests and the Levites are cleansed, and they cleanse the people, and the gates, and the wall.

Once the priests and the Levites had purified themselves, they purified the people, the gates, and the wall.

31 And I bring up the heads of Judah upon the wall, and appoint two great thanksgiving companies and processions. At the right, on the wall, to the dung-gate;

I had the leaders of Judah go up on the wall, and arranged two large choirs that to give thanks. One group went to right along the wall to the Refuse Gate.

32 and after them goeth Hoshaiah, and half of the heads of Judah,

Hoshaiah and half the leaders of Judah followed them,

33 and Azariah, Ezra, and Meshullam,

with Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam,

34 Judah, and Benjamin, and Shemaiah, and Jeremiah;

Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, and Jeremiah,

35 and of the sons of the priests with trumpets, Zechariah son of Jonathan, son of Shemaiah, son of Mattaniah, son of Michaiah, son of Zaccur, son of Asaph,

as well as some of the priests with trumpets, and Zechariah, son of Jonathan, son of Shemaiah, son of Mattaniah, son of Micaiah, son of Zaccur, son of Asaph,

36 and his brethren Shemaiah, and Azarael, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethaneel, and Judah, Hanani, with instruments of song of David the man of God, and Ezra the scribe [is] before them;

and his fellow priests, Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah, and Hanani, along with the musical instruments as required by David, the man of God. Ezra the scribe led them.

37 and by the gate of the fountain and over-against them, they have gone up by the steps of the city of David, at the going up of the wall beyond the house of David, and unto the water-gate eastward.

At the Fountain Gate they headed straight up by the stairs of the city of David, where the wall goes uphill, above the house of David, and on to the Water Gate on the east.

38 And the second thanksgiving company that is going over-against, and I after it, and half of the people on the wall from beyond the tower of the furnaces and unto the broad wall,

The other choir group went in the opposite direction. I followed them, along with half the people, on the wall passing the Tower of the Ovens, on to the Broad Wall,

39 and from beyond the gate of Ephraim, and by the old-gate, and by the fish-gate, and the tower of Hananeel, and the tower of Meah, and unto the sheep-gate — and they have stood at the prison-gate.

over the Ephraim Gate, the Jeshanah Gate, the Fish Gate, the Tower of Hananel, and the Tower of the Hundred, as far as the Sheep Gate, stopping at the Guard Gate.

40 And the two thanksgiving companies stand in the house of God, and I and half of the prefects with me,

Both thanksgiving choirs then took their places in God's Temple. I followed with the group of leaders that was with me,

41 and the priests, Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Michaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, Hananiah, with trumpets,

along with the priests blowing their trumpets: Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah.

42 and Masseiah, and Shemaiah, and Eleazar, and Uzzi, and Jehohanan, and Malchijah, and Elam, and Ezer, and the singers sound, and Jezrahiah the inspector;

Then came the singers Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malchijah, Elam, and Ezer, and the choirs sang, directed by Jezrahiah.

43 and they sacrifice on that day great sacrifices and rejoice, for God hath made them rejoice [with] great joy, and also, the women and the children have rejoiced, and the joy of Jerusalem is heard — unto a distance.

Many sacrifices were offered that day, celebrating that God had brought them so much happiness, tremendous happiness. The women and children also celebrated, and the sounds of joy in Jerusalem could be heard far away.

44 And certain are appointed on that day over the chambers for treasures, for heave-offerings, for first-fruits, and for tithes, to gather into them out of the fields of the cities the portions of the law for priests, and for Levites, for the joy of Judah [is] over the priests, and over the Levites, who are standing up.

On the same day men were put in charge over the storerooms that contained the offerings, the first part of the crops, and tithes. What was allocated by the Law for the priests and Levites was brought into these storerooms from the fields around the towns, because all the people of Judah were happy for the service of the priests and Levites.

45 And the singers and the gatekeepers keep the charge of their God, even the charge of the cleansing — according to the command of David [and] Solomon his son,

They were responsible for the worship of their God and for the service of purification, along with the singers and gatekeepers, following the instructions of David and his son Solomon.

46 for in the days of David and Asaph of old [were] heads of the singers, and a song of praise and thanksgiving to God.

For long ago, back in the time of David and Asaph, directors had been appointed for the singers and for the songs of praise and thanks to God.

47 And all Israel in the days of Zerubbabel, and in the days of Nehemiah, are giving the portions of the singers, and of the gatekeepers, the matter of a day in its day, and are sanctifying to the Levites, and the Levites are sanctifying to the sons of Aaron.

So in the time of Zerubbabel and of Nehemiah, everyone in Israel provided the daily food allowances for the singers and the gatekeepers. They also made sure to provide for the other Levites, and the Levites gave a share of this to the descendants of Aaron.